Post Modernism
Tshepang
Playfulness and irreverence
- Simon narrates and discussed other characters with an irreverence, or
flippant manner. Despite the serious nature of the world they live in,
Simon discusses life in a casual way.
“I once had a nip. I saw the devil for two days and she wasn’t sexy” pg 20
She has a scar on her neck, where her boyfriend stabbed her. Kwa! Kwa! Kwa!”
Pg 20
- Simon uses humour to regulate the tension and heavy nature of the
narrative
“It might be because of what happened. I don’t know. (He sees a small child
across the way) Hey, Jan Pierewiet! Staan still!” pg 32
- After retelling the story of Albert Sorrows being beaten, he imagines a
world with Jesus’ sister (pg 30)
“sounded like a car alarm. Siiiiiiiimon!” pg33
Structure
- Fragmentation: The narrative of the story is non-linear, and switches
between past and present tense regularly. The story about the rape of
Tshepang is interspersed with other information, and slowly gets pieced
together by the audience.
- Mini narratives: Simon transitions between retelling Siesie’s story with
the stories of other characters that he sees, as well as some of his own
history. There are a number of concurrent narratives occurring throughout
the play.
Metafiction
- Intentional self-awareness
- Use of narration
- Breaking the fourth wall: Simon addressed the audience directly
throughout his narrative
“Don’t worry about her, she doesn’t say a word, not anymore.” pg22
- Reflective commentary
“And besides, nothing ever happens here. Nothing. Niks.” pg 19
Deconstructing the grand narrative
, - Although the story is Ruth’s to tell, Simon retells it on her behalf
- This offers a different perspective, and a retelling which takes on more
objectivity
Postmodernism
Postmodernism evolved from modernism, and also rebelled against it.
In the most basic sense, Postmodernists believe that nothing NEW can be
created anymore. All that we create is borrowed from and influenced by what
has already been created.
Theories and philosophies
• Belief system
• What is the truth?
• What does it mean?
• How do I feel about it? (Attitude)
• How do I judge it?
• What does this world look like?
Modernism Postmodernism
Emerged at the end of the 19th Expresses the human experience of
Century, and went through the living in the world of post modernity,
experimentations of the 20th Century emerging in the 1960s.
till the late 1960’s.
Postmodernism Modernism
Belief system mini-narratives grand or master narratives
Stories that are local, The stories societies tell
situational, provisional, themselves to make sense
contingent and of their ‘reality’, that
temporary stories become their ruling belief
systems
What is the truth There are many truths Truth arrived at through
No absolute, universal, scientific, logical, rational
certain truth and objective reasoning
What does it mean Meaning is contingent, A unified, coherent world
contextual, provisional, view
temporal, situational
Meaning is fragmented
How do I feel Celebrates Serious
about it fragmentation; Fragmentation is seen as
subversion of being ‘lamentable”
seriousness. Is playful
and irreverent. It disrupts
Tshepang
Playfulness and irreverence
- Simon narrates and discussed other characters with an irreverence, or
flippant manner. Despite the serious nature of the world they live in,
Simon discusses life in a casual way.
“I once had a nip. I saw the devil for two days and she wasn’t sexy” pg 20
She has a scar on her neck, where her boyfriend stabbed her. Kwa! Kwa! Kwa!”
Pg 20
- Simon uses humour to regulate the tension and heavy nature of the
narrative
“It might be because of what happened. I don’t know. (He sees a small child
across the way) Hey, Jan Pierewiet! Staan still!” pg 32
- After retelling the story of Albert Sorrows being beaten, he imagines a
world with Jesus’ sister (pg 30)
“sounded like a car alarm. Siiiiiiiimon!” pg33
Structure
- Fragmentation: The narrative of the story is non-linear, and switches
between past and present tense regularly. The story about the rape of
Tshepang is interspersed with other information, and slowly gets pieced
together by the audience.
- Mini narratives: Simon transitions between retelling Siesie’s story with
the stories of other characters that he sees, as well as some of his own
history. There are a number of concurrent narratives occurring throughout
the play.
Metafiction
- Intentional self-awareness
- Use of narration
- Breaking the fourth wall: Simon addressed the audience directly
throughout his narrative
“Don’t worry about her, she doesn’t say a word, not anymore.” pg22
- Reflective commentary
“And besides, nothing ever happens here. Nothing. Niks.” pg 19
Deconstructing the grand narrative
, - Although the story is Ruth’s to tell, Simon retells it on her behalf
- This offers a different perspective, and a retelling which takes on more
objectivity
Postmodernism
Postmodernism evolved from modernism, and also rebelled against it.
In the most basic sense, Postmodernists believe that nothing NEW can be
created anymore. All that we create is borrowed from and influenced by what
has already been created.
Theories and philosophies
• Belief system
• What is the truth?
• What does it mean?
• How do I feel about it? (Attitude)
• How do I judge it?
• What does this world look like?
Modernism Postmodernism
Emerged at the end of the 19th Expresses the human experience of
Century, and went through the living in the world of post modernity,
experimentations of the 20th Century emerging in the 1960s.
till the late 1960’s.
Postmodernism Modernism
Belief system mini-narratives grand or master narratives
Stories that are local, The stories societies tell
situational, provisional, themselves to make sense
contingent and of their ‘reality’, that
temporary stories become their ruling belief
systems
What is the truth There are many truths Truth arrived at through
No absolute, universal, scientific, logical, rational
certain truth and objective reasoning
What does it mean Meaning is contingent, A unified, coherent world
contextual, provisional, view
temporal, situational
Meaning is fragmented
How do I feel Celebrates Serious
about it fragmentation; Fragmentation is seen as
subversion of being ‘lamentable”
seriousness. Is playful
and irreverent. It disrupts
